This post is rather lengthy, so feel free to skip whatever sections bore you.

What’s the sensible thing about?

I recently experienced some nasty hip pain that put me out of commission for a week...and then some debilitating knee pain that took me off cardio and leg work for a week. Thankfully, I learned some physical therapy exercises (anyone else here use the foam rollers?) which, if I dedicate about a half hour to 40 minutes a day to doing them right, leave me pain-free--and took care of my plantar fascitis, which I've had for years as an annoying but rarely debilitating pain that had ceased to respond to the usual calf stretching.

HOORAY! It feels great to be pain free, and I just saw an orthopedist today who said my knee is completely normal, that I am in great shape and have excellent muscle development , and that I have the go-ahead to resume training as usual! That being said, however, I shouldn’t squat below parallel (and preferably not beyond 45 degrees), I should not lunge too deep, and I should keep my weight light and my reps high. Fine by me, since my legs are my bulkiest feature. I’m not saying this to put myself down, just as a statement of fact—I’d like to build more symmetry by building my upper body and calves. But back to the training plan…

What’s the clever thing about?

I have a sneaking suspicion that these PT exercises are going to be a necessity for a looooong time, perhaps indefinitely. That’s 30-40 minutes to tack on to my workout. My current routine involves an hour to 1:15 to warm up and get done with weights, followed by 35 minutes of foam rolling and stretching, followed by 20 minutes of cardio. You can see that takes over 2 hours if done properly. I want to keep the workouts to 2 hours from entering the gym to hitting the shower. That’s the clever part…and it’s sensibly so, because limiting the length of workouts is practical not only time-wise but as a way to guard against further injury.

OK, so what’s the new routine?

Big picture: between July 29 and the end of the year (this week is dedicated to finishing out the last week of this training cycle), I will complete two 10-week training cycles with the 11th week devoted to rest (whether I do cardio during rest weeks remains to be determined). That leaves Xmas week available for rest, which works perfectly, as I intend to fly to MA to visit family during that time.

What the split looks like: I’ve been doing a total split routine for the past year and a half or so (i.e. chest and biceps; butt, legs, calves, and abs; back and triceps; butt, legs, calves, and abs; and shoulders). I’m going to do an upper-lower split instead for two reasons: from what I’ve read, it’s important to change the split up every so often, and because I am prone to left shoulder and neck pain, which I think may be somewhat relieved by spreading the types of upper body stress around instead of devoting an hour straight to shoulders, chest, or back. So here’s the split for the first 10-week cycle (may use for the second or go back to total split):

I’ve reduced the number of shoulder exercises from 6 to 3 (eliminating shrugs, which I am sure aggravate the shoulder-neck pain, front raises, because I think front delts may be sufficiently targeted by the incline press, lateral raises, which I’ve replaced with the overhead press on another day, and rear delt rows, for the same reason as shrugs--we'll see how the rear delt machine is). I’ve added one chest and one back exercise for a total of 4 per week (was 3 before) and reduced tris and bis from 3 per week to 2.

The cardio will be interval training on upper body days and steady state on lower body days. During every workout, I will listen to my body and stop what I’m doing if it hurts. Failure to do this is what resulted in my having to lose time in the gym and go through a lot of knee and hip pain! I humbly acknowledge I am out of my twenties and cannot afford to ignore my body when it tells me “Holy f#@%, that hurts!” and that exclamation comes from a joint rather than a muscle. Finally, I will follow Saturday’s workouts with a gentle yoga session at my gym—very relaxing and stretching-oriented.

What the cycle looks like:51 reps total per exercise; 5 exercises per weight training session (has been 6—this will help with cutting down workout time).
Week 1: 3 sets of 17 (no warm-up set necessary—aiming for 2 minutes on the wall sits)
Weeks 2-4: warm up set of 15, 3 working sets of 12
Weeks 5-7: warm up set of 15, 4 working sets of 9
Weeks 8-10: warm up set of 15, 6 working sets of 6
Week 11: rest
EXCEPTION: first 5 weeks, lower body work will remain at 3x17; second 5 weeks will have a warmup set of 15 and 2 working sets of 12. I think my calves and abs may respond better to higher reps throughout...I've heard this may be so for some folks.

Discussion of food plan/approach and the "why" behind keeping a training journal/my goals for this "challenge" of sorts will be delineated in future posts. I'm open to feedback and looking forward to sharing my journey!

Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. - Bruce Lee

Starting August 4 (next Saturday), a friend who shall remain nameless (well, let's call him Joe for the sake of simplicity) is done with all his summer classes. He said he can commit to a food challenge with me through the end of 2007. It's simple: write down what we ate each day and, to the best of our ability (restaurants can be tricky), the calorie count in what we ate. I'll be logging that HERE! Simple. But not easy...

We'll be logging on holidays.

We'll be logging at parties.

No more head-in-the-sand approach to "off-plan" days for me!

I haven't had success doing this alone...but knowing I can set a healthy example for Joe, who has some slight cholesterol issues, should help. I know the typical thinking is "You have to do it for yourself," but I don't want to wait until I'm no longer co-dependent to do this thing.

Besides, recent research has shown that people don't have to enter drug and alcohol rehab "for themselves" in order to succeed. I think healthful habits can be the same way...we can commit to getting healthier for others, in my opinion. In turn, we may end up sticking to the healthier habits for ourselves.

I'll post more later about my food plan for non-restaurant/non-party days. I think of my food plan as a tool to make everyday life easier (in not having to think about what I'll eat on busy days) rather than as a diet that limits my enjoyment. That said, it's nice to have some variety and treats...just not as an all-or-nothing proposition. In other words, not "Well, I'm off-plan anyhow, why not binge?"

So, food challenge starts August 4 for the log (though I'm sticking to my plan during the week for the most part anyhow). T minus 7...

Beth

Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. - Bruce Lee

Lindsay76 wrote:First of all - praise where it is it due - gorgeous, lean body ... whatever you are doing - you are doing it very well.

Thank you! I was more consistent food-wise at that point in my life (around November of 2006). Hope to be looking like that again soon...may be around 10 lbs heavier now! The cool thing is that when I'm consistent, RESULTS HAPPEN. (Duh!) Let's just say that I won't be eating the way I ate today once I'm logging and tracking...having a vegan restaurant in town that serves delicious, fat-laden and salty food is a double-edged sword! Chili fries, chicken parm, cheesecake...it's all there. Feeling junky and bloated right now. But a new, more healthful way is coming soon! No foods will be off limits, just keeping tabs on calorie consumption...so if I eat 15,000 or something crazy in a day, I'll be posting it here. That in itself will motivate me to be more moderate!

Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. - Bruce Lee

Here's my food plan I follow during the week. It makes it easier to pack a lunch and not have to stress each night about what to bring to work the next day. I try to each a good balance of carbs, fat, and protein at each meal. The total cals are between 1868 and 1952.5, depending on whether you trust the labels/calorieking.com data OR whether you tally up the calories by multiplying the fat grams by 9 and carbs/protein by 4, then adding up all the totals. I love figuring things out like that; I know my body doesn't much care about that level of detail. I only included the food and time here but am happy to post the cals, macros, fiber, and sodium if anyone is curious. Of course, it looks a lot nicer in excel.

I followed the food plan to a T yesterday. It doesn't leave me hungry between mini-meals, yet when it's time to eat, I definitely am getting hungry! If I were to stay in this general calorie range on the weekends, I'm certain I'd drop some body fat.

One aspect of my challenge I'm doing with "Joe" is that I'm committing to read my list of affirmations first thing in the AM and last thing at night. I'm working on reducing my anxiety and depression--I'm a total worrywart and a gloom-and-doom finder. As a counselor, I really ought to be taking care of this! So I have a nifty list of affirmations, and the best times of day to do them are when your brain is still half-asleep and most open to "reprogramming." So part of this log will include my mental stretching (I see the affirmations as foam rolling and stretching for my mind--the thing I'm most likely to blow off when time is tight yet it's what's absolutely necessary to keep me going).

Food lapsed a bit yesterday. Followed my food plan as listed in previous posts, but woke up in the middle of the night hungry and ate a medium-sized bowl of Choco Dyno Bites (cheap version of Cocoa Pebbles). Tasty, tasty simple carbs. Mmmmmm. To prevent this in the future, here is what I can do...

Try to limit caffeine better during the day to curb midnight awakenings

If I've had a high caffeine intake, as I did yesterday (3 cups coffee), take a Benadryl or 2 and/or a Clonidine (prescribed by my doc to sleep better through the night as needed). Granted, these meds are surely not vegan...but one step at a time for me.

Save the carrot or bell pepper I eat with dinner for the midnight awakenings. I've had success with this in the past. The process of chewing may make me tired enough to sleep. And if I don't wake up needing it, I can snack on it the next day.

As of tomorrow, all food outside The Plan is getting measured with calories recorded...so any late-night sugar snack sessions will be reported in greater detail! I believe knowing this also contributed to my snacking last night...getting the last of the unmeasured cheats out of the way before having to really come to terms with them. Not a great mentality, but I'm happy to report no crazy binges this week in preparation for the 5 months ahead. And I know having a partner in this will help me stay accountable.

Hello there! I had a bit of variation in yesterday's food from The Plan. Had a couple of samples at Costco of a Bora Bora bar (a raw nut/seed/fruit bar that's tasty but pricey), which may have added 20 or so calories. Didn't eat the carrot--so down about 30. Didn't have the grapefruit, so down about 80. Had one pound of leafy greens instead of 1/2 pound, so up about 32.5 (ABOUT 32.5...hahaha! ). Extra onion with this...up about 30. No 2nd boca burger, down 100. Extra 1/2 cup Hi-Lo, up 90. It all comes out, according to my calculations to being about 37.5 calories under usual total, so between 1830.5 and 1915. Yes, I'm pretty OCD.

Today has been my first day of being completely off any sort of plan but tracking my calories. There are way too many calories in Chipotle's burritos and chips! So I practiced portion control...ate only half the burrito and split the chips with "Joe." I got guac on the side, only ate half. The rest will go on the other half of the burrito tomorrow. I wish I could say it felt great to stop before I felt full...but I just wanted to keep eating. I wanted to eat Joe's chips as well as my own, and even now, it's hard to leave that half burrito in the fridge! But I will make this commitment: if I eat any more tonight, it'll be the grapefruit from yesterday and, if I still want more, some salad, perhaps with some Hi-Lo. Here's what I've eaten so far today with calorie counts:

Do you have a goal right now - such as weight loss or calorie restriction?

If you're trying to avoid overeating, or eating beyond the point of feeling full then you might want to stay away from Clif Bars or any other bars, if you have the same problem with them that I do. Sometimes the bars actually stimulate my appetite for more dense, sugary or high fat foods. I keep them in my locker at work for emergencies. Hopefully, you don't have the same problem with them as they are very convenient!

1) To drop inches (I haven't weighed in a while and don't intend to until I feel that it will be helpful to me) from my waist, abdomen, hips, and thighs. I would like to gain more muscle in my arms, chest, and back; this, coupled with fat loss, may lead to no inches lost if the muscle gain takes the space of the fat loss, but it could go either way...so I'm not worried as long as I'm dropping body fat in my other areas. I'd like to add size to my calves, which are lean (i.e. I don't think I can drop any fat off them), to develop better symmetry with my thighs. Measurements (all relaxed; I want to know what I measure when I'm just standing around, not trying to look buff or sucking in) will be done 1st Sunday of each month. Took 1st measurements this AM.

Waist at smallest point 28
Abdomen at belly button 29.75
Hips at widest point 37.5
Bust at nipple 34.5
R thigh and L thigh at widest points both 21.5
R arm at widest point 11
L arm at widest point 11.125
R calf and L calf both 13.25

2) Stabilize my eating behaviors on the weekends so that my daily caloric average stays at 2000 or lower (1868.5 during the week)

I didn't feel the need to set a goal for my workouts, as I don't ever miss them unless I am literally physically incapable of doing them. I've got those down pat.

Yesterday, I did eat a grapefruit and a soy delicious orange creme bar (80 cals each), bringing my daily caloric total to 2007.5. Hooray--got to eat some treat foods and didn't binge!

About the Clif builder's bars...I understand what you're saying, as they are so tasty and sweet that I want more...however, I have that reaction with many foods that are tasty to me (see Chipotle description...mmmmmmm). Knowing I can have one bar every day (or more on the weekends, if I'm hungry and eating reasonably) seems to make them OK for me. That being said, I'm aware they're processed and all. But for now, I really enjoy eating what tastes like a candy bar after a workout, and my body feels as though it's rejoicing in the opportunity to refuel itself with some great carbs and protein. Also, we once went on a road trip and I packed umpteen builder's bars for convenience. I got pretty sick of them by the 2nd day. So...I'll keep them for now. But thank you for the feedback, and please keep commenting!

Said my affirmations last night, forgot to this AM.

But I'm thrilled at how I ate yesterday and how much fun (sometimes) it is to be a teammate with Joe on this! He's gone all nerdy with setting up excel spreadsheets to monitor our progress, both behaviorally (cals, exercise, affirmations) and results-wise (inches at each measuring point). I'm blessed and lucky, and I intend to honor that by giving this challenge my most honest, good-faith effort.

I'm grateful for all the support.

Oh, and today is a rest day. Household chores...laundry and food prep.

Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. - Bruce Lee

Hey lady!!
Looks like you are really on track . . . I need to detail my strength workouts more like you do . . .
To answer what you asked me . . . for filling foods . . . I try to eat a lot of fiber and good fat. I'm not keeping track of calories right now - because it always makes me feel deprived. But, if I just choose whole, unprocessed foods - maninly fruits, veggies, beans, nuts . . . I feel like I don't need to count.
I have been trying to cut out most of the processed stuff - even tofu and whole grain ezekial bread- unless I go out. I save it for then when the choices are limited.
If I feel hungry - I eat . . . which usually is about every 2-3 hours.